The Alchemyst

“I am legend.”

The Prologue is an excerpt from Nicholas Flamel’s “Day Booke,” or journal, and it is the only passage in the novel narrated in the first person. The opening sentence, “I am legend,” builds suspense and intrigue by establishing Flamel as a mysterious and powerful character. It also sets up the historical and mythical dimension of the narrative, which draws on events and mythologies from all around the world. Finally, it introduces the blurred line between Truth Versus Fiction.

“He was a small, rather dapper-looking man, dressed in a neat charcoal-gray three-piece suit that looked vaguely old-fashioned but that she could tell had been tailor-made for him. His iron gray hair was pulled back from an angular face into a tight ponytail, while a neat triangular beard, mostly black but flecked with gray, concealed his mouth and chin.”

This quote is the first description of Dr. John Dee, the story’s antagonist. His polished appearance underlines his attention to detail and his use of appearances to deceitful purposes. Those characteristics suggest that he plans his schemes carefully, making him a powerful foil and a stark contrast to Flamel.

His boss, Nick Fleming, stood in the middle of the bookshop, facing the others. He was a rather ordinary-looking man. Average height and build, with no real distinguishing features, except for his eyes, which were so pale that they were almost completely colorless. His black hair was cropped close to his skull and he always seemed to have stubble on his chin, as if he hadn’t shaved for a couple of days. He was dressed as usual in simple black jeans, a loose black T-shirt advertising a concert that had taken place twenty-five years earlier and a pair of battered cowboy boots. There was a cheap digital watch on his left wrist and a heavy silver-link bracelet on his right, alongside two tatty multicolored friendship bracelets.”

The description of Flamel’s appearance emphasizes the differences in his and Dee’s characters. Flamel is “ordinary-looking,” which highlights his desire not to stand out, either to evade Dee or out of natural humility. His personality is more relaxed and casual, but this also belies his incredible power. The revelation of his true identity is made more dramatic because Flamel initially seems so innocuous.